A GROUP OF LEAVES FROM MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE MANUSCRIPTS, including a Bible, a Book of Hours and a Breviary [Europe, 13th to 15th centuries]

Six leaves and a bifolium from French and Dutch Medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts, comprising:

- 1) A LEAF FROM A FRENCH BIBLE, in Latin [northern France, probably Paris, third quarter 13th century]. A fine example of a leaf from the quintessential 13th-century illuminated manuscript – the Paris Bible. The text is from 1 Corinthians 7-11. Measurements: 241 x 156mm. 55 lines of text in two columns.

- 2) FOUR LEAVES FROM A FRENCH BREVIARY, in Latin [France, mid-15th century]. The leaves were originally ff. 131, 339, 342 and 388 from a Breviary, containing all the liturgical texts for the Office. Measurements: 188 x 144mm. 29 lines of text in two columns.

- 3) A LEAF FROM A FRENCH BOOK OF HOURS, in Latin [France, second half 15th century]. The text is from the Seven Pentitential Psalms in a Book of Hours, beginning in Psalm 37: ‘[va]nitates et dolos tota die meditabantur’ and ending in Psalm 50: ‘Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci ut iustifice[ris in sermonibus tuis]’. Measurements: 163 x 120mm. 21 lines of text, ruled space: 92 x 59mm.

- 4) A BIFOLIUM FROM A DUTCH BOOK OF HOURS, in Dutch [Utrecht, c.1460]. An attractive little leaf from a pocket Book of Hours, with an illuminated initial ‘G’ within a three-sided floral border opening the text of Lauds from the Office of the Virgin as translated by Geert Groote. Measurements: 140 x 98mm. 17 lines of text, ruled space: 78 x 55mm. Rubrics in red, initials in red or blue, one illuminated initial with three-sided borders. Slight marginal dampstaining.

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